Murder in the Night
by wazzabinho
Summary: Ron Weasley is a Consultant for the Auror Department. A murder investigation gets him to realize his true purpose in life, meeting new people and perhaps finding love along the way. Non-Canon. After Hogwarts. Ron/Daphne. Rated M for language and adult situations.
1. Dod Days

**Here is my New Story. As you can see it is a little more thought out than my other story. This one has what I think is a good Plot. I hope you like where it is going. I really love the idea of Ron and Daphne as a couple, I don't know why. I will continue to write my other story too, but this one is already written mostly. That is why the delay for the other story happened.**

 **I hope you like it!**

 **J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter**

* * *

 **Chapter 01: Dog Days**

The streets of London early in the mornings were a sight to be seen for centuries. On foggy days, where one couldn't see ten feet in front of them the streets gave an air of mystery, something only described in novels as dreadful. On rainy days, the city felt alive, almost as if the city with all its movement was a living organism. On sunny days, which happened every once in a while, the atmosphere cleared and the vast quantity of vegetation and buildings were seen. The water surrounding the great city—where once one of the greatest empires in history sat—was glistening with the Sun's eminent approach. The mornings in London were truly an experience on themselves.

The streets were busy as always, the people of London not really taking the beauty of the city, seeing as they were accustomed to that. Cars, double-decker busses, bicycles, and pedestrians bustled throughout the streets in a hurry to get to their destination. Buses taking children to their schools, businessmen walking towards their respective jobs, storefront managers opening the cafes for the morning rush.

Thomas Wright, a baker by trade, whistled a happy tune whilst unpackaging flour from a shipment had received the day before, coming and going from the storeroom to the baking area in the back. His patisserie _Clarisse_ —named after his daughter—was a little pastry shop in the heart of London, famous for its swiftness and prompt delivery of delicious baked goods. The morning rush was about to start, a few customers already in front of the shop. His assistants were already getting ready to start the day, counting the starting money for the day and restocking the pastries in order to serve the morning customers.

Thomas was an honest man, working many jobs through university to get his business degree, with dreams of opening a shop that sold his true passion: pastries. He graduated and with the money he had saved up, Thomas opened a little shop in the outskirts of London. As the years went by, his shop became a success, letting him open many shops throughout the city. Thomas liked to work in his shop in Central London because the demand was higher there, so he baked all day until closing.

Thomas was a family man through and through, taking his little children into the bakery just as it had opened, and as they grew, they helped him bring his business up. The eldest daughter deciding to help him by going to college and studying business, the other two in school still, working the afternoons at the bakery. Thomas' wife had a flower shop nearby, both of them working together sometimes when the rare order of pastries and flower came up.

As Thomas finished to bring in the flour towards the storeroom, he thought about going out to the alley for a smoke. He had the occasional morning smoke before baking, his only little secret that only few people knew. He had about fifteen minutes before closing time, just enough for two smokes and maybe a third.

When Thomas opened the door, he did not expect the door to be stuck, only leaving a crack opened between the door and the alley. The smell of ash and something burning Something was obstructing the door.

"Dammit. Some twigs maybe from last night's storm. London's fuckin' weather," Thomas said under his breath. He tried pushing more and more, and finally on the hardest push, the door opened.

Thomas could not expect what was behind the door. He was a family man, an honest man, a man that knew of no greater evil other than the corporate banks. To say he yelled would be erroneous, because he could not find his voice once he saw the obstruction behind the door.

A body lay mangled, almost like a thrown away puppet, on the floor. The position of the body, thrown away from the door, made the face of the victim visible. Well, where the face would be. In the head, only the eye sockets remained, the body burnt almost to a crisp. The smell of burnt flesh became more apparent. What also struck Thomas, was the nakedness of the body. A feminine body was seen, by what remained of the body one could assess easily.

"Hey boss you ok?" A clerk from inside came towards Thomas, seeing him standing outside through the backdoor's window.

The clerk stopped and gasped at what he was now seeing alongside his boss' stunned body. He tripped as he went to the backroom, looking for a phone to call the authorities.

Thomas stayed there until the police arrived, still in shock from seeing this monstrosity. Who would do that to a young lady? His answer would never be answered, but the question would remain with him until the day he died.

* * *

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, Auror for the Area of Strategy in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement" The head auror said as he received the young man into the stage in order to give him his official diploma of completion of Auror Training.

Ron Weasley, best friend of the Boy-Who-Lived, the One-Who-Conquered, and part of the Golden Trio himself, was finishing Auror Training after helping his brother's shop resurface after the Second Wizarding War.

The deafening applause and cheers from just his family and friends was enough to make him blush like a tomato in front of his fellow aurors. He stood up, smiled and shook Chief Dickens' hand, whilst receiving his diploma.

"Glad to have you with us Weasley, sure you don't want to be a field Auror?" Dickens' whispered as he gave him the obligatory pat in the back. Photographs were snapped since this was a celebrity's graduation. Being a war hero meant being recognized anywhere he went.

"I've had enough adventures for a lifetime Chief. I prefer working from a desk thank you very much. Besides you have Harry, couldn't ask for better help." Ron said to him quickly, making the Chief chuckle and nod his head.

The ceremony went on and Ron returned to the place where his family and friends where gathered. His parents alongside his many brothers and sisters were clapping and cheering as he approached.

Harry had asked for a day off to attend the ceremony and the afterparty for his best friend. Without him, Harry would have not defeated the Dark Lord years ago, but also to Harry the Weasleys were his family. Hermione was there as well, cheering and clapping alongside everyone.

Hermione and he had tried dating for a year before deciding that they worked much better as friends than as a couple. The fights they had as a couple were almost worse than when they were not, so before it imploded into them not talking ever again, they decided to remain friends. They actually argued less, and he had even set up Hermione with a friend from the Academy. They were now a year into being together, and he was actually happy for her.

"Ronnikins is now a big bad Auror like Harry" George said whining, his eyes laughing. George had lost his twin brother in the war, scarring him for life. It took time, but eventually he learned to cope with his loss and return to being the goofball he once was.

"I know, I won't get away with murder now" Bill said to George, patting Charlie in the back as Ron approached.

"I can arrest them right now, right mum?" Ron said as he approached his mother's extended embrace.

"If you don't somebody will, so it hurts less if it is family" Ginny, the only female Weasley said, punching Bill playfully whilst embracing Ron. Ginny was taking a break from playing professional Quidditch to come and celebrate with her family. Ginny and Harry were into their third year of dating, and they could not be happier.

This went on for a while whilst Ron was embraced by many of his friends from Hogwarts and some from the Academy.

"Now, now, kids…" Mrs. Weasley said to everyone "…let's go to the Burrow and celebrate." She finished with a smile and went towards the Apparition point.

* * *

The hours passed, the celebration continued well into the night. One by one people left until the Burrow was quiet, only the family and close friends together under the tent that they had put for the special occasion.

"You start tomorrow already mate?" Neville asked Ron as he took a swig from his last butterbeer of the night, settling down next to Hannah Abbot, his girlfriend.

"Yep…" Ron said as he too drank his last swig from a butterbeer, "…tomorrow early in the morning I report to Dickens and from there we'll see how it goes." Ron said and stood up alongside Harry to go to Grimmauld Place, where they both lived.

"Thank you, guys! You have no idea how much it means to me that you were here." Ron finished and waved to everyone as he walked towards the fireplace in order to Floo home.

The rest of the group stayed there for a while until they decided to get to their respective places. The new era for the group of friends would just begin.

Ron woke up early in order to catch a quick run before going to work. While in the Academy, the Aurors in Training had to run daily in order to keep in form and keep their shape. Ron enjoyed these runs now, but back at the beginning they were the absolute worst for him. Now he was in the best shape he had ever been, running five miles every day and doing some basic workout at Grimmauld Place.

As he came back, he noticed that Harry had just awoken and was having breakfast. Harry worked out at night, saying that working out before sleeping tired him out and kept the nightmares at bay. Today, he looked as if he did not sleep well, the war taking a toll on his mind.

"Hey mate, ready for your first day?" Harry asked whilst eating some porridge, excited for his friend in spite of not sleeping well.

"Ready as I'll ever be I guess" Ron said, suddenly nervous. Harry had told him how it was working at the DMLE, and he was nervous. His best friend had worked there a year before him, having started training right after the war ended.

"Oh, cheer up, it's not as bad as I told you. I said that to scare you a bit, and besides…you'll be in the Strategy Department, no field work for you" Harry said as he passed Ron some orange juice to hydrate his friend.

"I know that. I just don't want to fuck it up" Ron said as he took a swig of the juice straight from the carton. Harry gave him a disgusted look but said nothing, having grown accustomed to Ron's eating habits.

"You won't. You were the best in your class in the Academy. Hell, in no time you will beat the Chief and will take his job. That fucker needs to retire I'm telling you, and I don't want his job because it is more suited for you" Harry explained as he lifted his wand and conjured his plate towards the sink in order to wash it. The plate and sink worked together magically in order to clean the plate.

"Thanks mate, I'll go shower and then we can go to the office" Ron said as he buttered a biscuit and ate it whilst going towards his room.

"Hurry, you don't want to be late. Dickens hates that!" Harry yelled as he too went towards his room in order to start the day.

* * *

"…and this is your desk!", said Colette animatedly to Ron. Colette was the secretary for the Department, seating in the front of the room. Standing to a mere five feet tall she had to look up in order to look at Ron directly in the eye. Colette had graduated Hogwarts the year before, and was beautiful, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a cheerful personality. Currently, she was seeing Ron as a lot of ladies looked at him, with admiration and an air of flirtation.

Ron was a famous war hero and according to Witch Weekly: One of Wizarding Britain's Most Eligible Bachelors. He stood six feet four inches tall, the tallest out of all the Weasley brothers. He was one of the most handsome brothers, according to many women that knew the family. He did not like the title the magazine gave him. Ron was not looking for nothing right now, he just wanted to work and make the world a better place by fighting evil.

"Thank you, Colette. I look forward to working here." Ron said smiling politely, sitting down and testing the comfort of the chair he would probably spend most of his time in. Ron decided quickly that he would transfigure it into one more comfortable than this one.

"Me too…" Colette said dreamily and gasped turning red quickly realizing her misstep "…I mean…I…Th…The chief wants you in his office as soon as you settle." Colette stuttered, her face impossibly red.

"Thank you again, Colette. I will do just that." Ron smiled politely still seating down, knowing she was embarrassed. Colette then left quickly leaving Ron chuckling a bit. With that Ron turned around and quickly looked through a file that was already there, briefing him of a case another auror was currently working on and would probably need help.

"This chair is shit" Ron heard a voice next to him say. The voice sounded hoarse but young, and with a hint of familiarity.

Ron turned around to find a friend that had graduated from the Academy alongside him.

"Louis! I didn't know you were assigned here!" Ron exclaimed, startling the young wizard. Louis turned around and smiled at Ron, waving lamely at him.

Louis was a dark-skinned graduate from Hogwarts, a year ahead of Ron. Young, funny, and a little awkward but an expert in fieldwork, he proved himself to be a fine recruit for the Academy. Louis Davies was in Slytherin; therefore, Ron did not know of him during his education at Hogwarts.

Ron had to get over his hate of Slytherin during the Academy, working together alongside some of the snakes, he realized that they were just like him: normal recruits that wanted to go through Auror Training in order to better the Wizarding World. Houses did not matter in the real world, what mattered was if a person wanted to do good on the world or not.

"Yeah just got here too. Dickens is a hard-ass asking us to work just the day after graduation. Was looking forward to taking the lady out of the country for a while, but I guess that will have to wait." Louis said as he too read the file that Ron had previously read.

"Damn, this one looks like a bitch. No wonder they asked us to work today. Come on Ron, let's go to the briefing with Dickens" Louis finished and stood up, signaling for Ron to do the same.

* * *

"…Aurora Greengrass. Thirteen years old, found dead and burnt alive in an alley behind a bakery in Central London. The muggles there found her and called the local police. The state of the crime alerted the aurors and we are on the case as of right now. This takes priority here because of the crime. Apparently Fiendfyre was used to burn the body, but here is the catch: no trace of dark magic. Normally in a case like this the trace lingers for days or even weeks, but here, it was not found at all. We need a group of aurors to go to the area and a group of aurors to go with the family and talk to them in order to get any leads leading to the case. Was it revenge? Was it a lesson towards the family? I don't fuckin' know, that is why you are going" Dickens said to all the aurors present in the briefing room.

Harry and Ron stood together, looking at the photographs in their files, looking for any clues. The poor girl was found naked, probably raped, burnt alive, and tossed in an alley like garbage. Ron felt the bile form on his stomach but had to push it down. He took a glance to Harry who was looking intently at the girl, knowing how Harry felt he gave him a reassuring pat on the back.

"Potter, McKinley, and Davies…you'll go to the scene and look for any leads. The muggles there are informed that you are detectives, so do not use magic in front of them. This is Central London and it will be crowded. The muggles were Obliviated and taken care of, only knowing a dead body was found there, not the state of it…" Dickens informed the group, nodding for them to start heading out towards the scene.

"Clarke, Peterson, and Travis…you'll stay here and formulate a plan in order to secure the family from future attacks, you will serve as guards to the family and will have to report directly to me…" Dickens nodded towards another set of aurors, which stood up and hurried along towards the Planning Room in the department.

This left only Ron to stay behind while his co-workers headed towards either the field or the Planning Room. Ron felt singled out, annoyed that he had no task, feeling that he was not good enough for either field.

"Weasley come here. I need to talk to you." Dickens beckoned Ron to come to Dicken's office. As he followed Ron felt naturally curious, wondering why he was being singled out. Dickens sat at his big chair in his private office and magically closed the door behind them.

"Weasley, I know you wanted to be there too but I need you for an important task. Your instructors noted that you have a different set of skills than any other auror. You have what it takes to work in the field, but you have a panache for analytics and investigation. You qualify for both the field and for the Planning Room, so here is my offer. You will act as a Consultant in most cases. Working from this office but going to the field when necessary to investigate. I hope that is fine with you?" Dickens asked him, curious as to how Ron would react.

Ron could not deny that he was surprised. He had really wanted to stay behind a desk, planning raids, seeing as he was a master strategist. But something inside him told him that this was a great opportunity for him. He felt a surge of confidence and nodded with a smile, curious as to what his important assignment would be.

"Great…I need you to go to Greengrass Manor and interview the family, then proceed to make a profile for all of them. After that, go to any affiliates of them, close friends, relatives, business partners, any-fucking-thing close to them I don't care if it is the fucking house elves. Then come back and piece together a motif for the murder of this young girl. This will be the base of the investigation. As you get more clues, come back and report them and add them to your case. You will not take the lead but will be a close second to me." Dickens said, grabbing suddenly a pipe from seemingly out of nowhere and lighting it up. He puffed away whilst waiting for Ron to analyze what he just said.

"Sir…with all due respect. Why me? Surely Harry is more qualified for this…" Ron started to complain, not noticing the smile in the other man's face.

"…you are the man for the job Weasley. Potter is qualified for the field and only the field. He is no strategist or analyst, he just goes along with his gut. You, on the other hand, you use your fuckin' head. We need more of you here. Also, you're a goddamned war hero, we don't have many of those here." Dickens said, blowing smoke as he lifted a hand opening the door for Ron to go through. Nothing had to be said so Ron went through the door towards his desk, lightly dazed because of the weight of his new responsibility.

Hearing the door close behind him Ron woke up from his daze and knowing what he had to do so he hurried along towards his desk. Already with a plan in his head, he started doing a board with what he knew was happening in the case. He wrote the names of the relatives of the victim, known friends, and business partners. When he finished and was sure he had nothing left to write, he grabbed his coat and headed towards the exit.

"Good luck Mr. Weasley!" Colette said as Ron passed her desk at the front of the reception.

"Call me Ron please Colette…and thank you!" Ron said in a hurry, leaving towards the Apparition point in the Ministry.

"Greengrass Manor" Ron whispered carefully before Apparating, not knowing that this meeting would change his life forever.

* * *

 **My newest project. I think it has a good plot and a good start. Let me know what you think in the comments! Thank you! Please follow and review!**


	2. Diamond Hope

**Here is the second chapter. As you can see, this story is well thought out and in reality I have it almost done. It will have many more chapters, and if it finishes well, maybe a sequel and it could turn into a series.**

 **I would appreciate your comments as to how the story is coming along.**

 **J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter, not me.**

* * *

 **Chapter 02: Diamond Hope**

Ron always appreciated open field homes. They reminded him of his own home, with many fields wherever the eye could see. The Weasley home was in his eyes, not much to look at, but the open fields gave him a sense of freedom. Near his house, a lake resided, where him and his family spent the hot summers in. There were many crop fields, where his mum usually planted different crops in order to feed a family of nine, now eight. Fields of grass in which one could get lost in and spend a whole day hidden, which he found useful for the few romantic moments he had with his ex-girlfriend. There was a plain towards the back of the house, were events were held such as weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries. It also doubled as a Quidditch pitch when necessary. Overall, Ron loved to have an open space next to his humble home.

Where he apparated was an open field too, but instead of a humble abode adorning the middle, a big manor stood in its place. Where his eyes could see, there where miles and miles of fields that led to mountains and so on. There was not a blade of grass out of place, all cut to perfection. A path led to an enormous gate surrounded by a fence that went both ways marking the edge of the wards. The fence seemed to disappear as far as his eye could see, signaling that maybe the fence was visible only to the Wizarding kind. Several water fountains stood between the edge of the wards and the manor, varying from size to size. Several busts and statues adorned the path as well. He could hear in the distance, a waterfall that was hitting some rocks, which by the sound of it, the waterfall must be quite enormous to make that sound at the distance he was in.

Ron felt overwhelmed by the luxury of the place, never having set a foot near a place of this level of extravagance. Even from a distance he could see that the manor had three levels, maybe a basement floor or two. The manor had many plants that grew from the ground and they intertwined with the outer shell of the manor. It gave a sense of life to the manor, but also giving it a mysterious appearance.

Ron could not help but whistle as he approached the gate and noticed the incrusts of gold and silver that the gate had in its details. He touched the gate appreciatingly and he felt it warm up and glow. A loud crack was heard next to him that made his skin jump and take out his wand and point it at the direction of the sound.

"Yes?" said the voice of a house elf that suddenly appeared next to Ron, the wand pointing at its face not changing his sad demeanor.

"I am Auror Weasley, here to talk to the Greengrass family. They were informed earlier that I would be here to talk to them" Ron said to the creature, straightening his posture and putting his wand away. He needed to have an air of professionalism in front of this family if he wanted to be taken as a serious auror.

"Come with me sir" the house elf said, grabbing his hand and suddenly popping both of them inside the wards, appearing near the first fountain in front of the manor.

Ron marveled at the enormous size of the manor, wondering if magic made it bigger somehow as he walked alongside the elf towards it. The manor appeared to extend its wings and suddenly more windows and levels appeared in front of him. Five stories tall and countless windows to the sides. He was aghast at the marvel in front of him, now coming to realize the wealth of the family he was going to see. Ron thought that the Malfoy family was wealthy in the past, but now seeing this, he realized that Malfoy had nothing on the Greengrass family.

The elf opened the main door and led Ron towards the parlor of the home. Ron could not help but look around at the mansion that was inside, clearly as big as the outside told. Countless windows let the natural light in from all sides, no need for candles to illuminate the non-existent dark corners of this manor. The same quantity of doors that led to Merlin knows how many rooms, all decorated differently to recognize each door. The living room was next to the parlor, and it showed an enormous fireplace that was dormant at this hour. Big sofas adorned the living room and a gigantic rug was in place in the middle of the room.

Ron was still inspecting when he felt a tug on his cloak's sleeve, urging him to take a seat in one corner of an enormous sofa. In comparison, he looked small in this home, and he was as tall as they came.

"Please wait here while I fetch master and mistresses" the house elf said to Ron and then he popped away. Ron noted that the elf seemed sad, obviously taken aback by the news of the death of one of the children the elf probably had to take care of.

Ron sat there a few minutes thinking about what he was about to ask, his strategy for interrogation, and the way he would approach the family. Obviously knowing what they were going through—having lost a brother himself—he would be empathetic and respectful. He tried also to remember the other members of the family. The names seemed familiar, and by the age of the profiles in the case, one of the daughters was slightly younger than him by a few months. She must've gone to Hogwarts then, his memory foggy of many of the female population in his days there. He only had eyes for Hermione really, either frustrated or affectionate, he was blinded to the female population.

While Ron was lost in his own head, he did not notice a girl suddenly seating on the sofa in front of him. Only until she coughed to get his attention he flinched a little and turned to look towards the girl. The girl was pretty, younger than him a few years, strawberry blonde and with huge green eyes. She had a black formal dress, a mourning veil that was pulled back revealing her sad but curious face.

"You're Ron Weasley" the girl said to him, not a question but a statement. She did not move to give him a handshake, apparently waiting for him to follow the wizarding customs. She already knew who he was, and fortunately he knew who she was by the file he had read.

"And you're Astoria Greengrass" Ron stood up in front of her, vowed his head and took her hand. He then pressed his lips to her hand and smiled at her, earning a look of approval from her. A slight blush covered her cheeks before going back to normal.

"My family will be joining us soon. Thank you for helping us find out who…who… did such…such…" Astoria started to say but stopped, quietly sobbing into a handkerchief she had ready at hand. She continued crying quietly until she remembered she had company and tried to stop.

"I am sorry for your loss. I am sure your little sister was a great girl." Ron said honestly and offered a smile of reassurance to Astoria. Ron understood what this girl was going through.

"She was a sparkle in a moonless night I assure you" Astoria said fondly, a faraway look gracing her face as if remembering her sister.

Suddenly three pops were heard next to them and three figures in dark clothes stood in the parlor next to them. The man had greying blond hair, the blond and grey combining, not really showing the man's age. The woman had light brown hair with some grey in it, but her grey eyes were the thing that attracted the attention. Finally standing there, a girl about his age, with light blonde hair and grey eyes, the perfect combination of mother and father. She was tall for a woman, nearly five feet ten in stature. Her face was one of the most beautiful faces he had ever seen, her lips full, her pale complexion giving her a porcelain look almost. Her eyes were the color of ice, a mix between grey and blue, giving her an almost aloof look, as if she was bored. This is what made Ron remember the nickname Ice Queen. Here stood the Ice Queen of Slytherin in front of him, and she was a sight to be seen.

"Auror, it is nice to see you here. Thank you for coming" Lord Greengrass approached him and extended a hand towards Ron, his face containing a polite smile.

"I assure you that you are in good hands with me. I will try my best to do anything to help you and your family through this time of hardship" Ron said as he shook Lord Greengrass' hand.

A snort was heard from Daphne, but it was not the one that one makes when laughing, it was an incredulous snort.

"As if…" Daphne muttered under her breath, not really concealing her doubt.

"Daphne Alexandre Greengrass!" Lady Greengrass admonished her and took a step towards Ron.

"Auror forgive my daughter…she clearly forgot her manners somewhere today. I am sure you will be of great help to us." Lady Greengrass said and extended her hand just like Astoria had done earlier.

"I will do my best I assure you" Ron inclined his head in a vow, grabbed her extended hand and kissed her softly in her knuckles. He then proceeded to step in front of Daphne.

"Miss Greengrass, nice to see you again after all this time" Ron said cordially and extended his hand towards her.

"Weasley" Daphne said as she stood there looking at his hand almost in disgust and proceeded to walk towards the living room, leaving Ron with his hand hanging. Sighing, he went to the living room.

"Daphne how can you be so rude to this man? He is the auror in charge of the murder of your sister! You should treat him with respect!" Daphne's mom started as she followed Daphne to a sofa she was seating on. As Lady Greengrass sat, she sat admonishing her daughter.

"My apologies Auror Weasley, my daughter is distraught with the death of our littlest child. Apparently, she is taking it very close to heart, and very badly as well." Lord Greengrass said, patting the young man in the back and directing him towards the couch.

"It's fine sir, I understand what she is going through actually. A brother of mine died in the war defending the school. He was brave and honestly a pure soul if I ever knew one. It broke me, but slowly I learned to live my life in honor to him. Remember that as well sir" Ron said as he sat.

Jonathan Greengrass stood there shocked at the bit of wisdom that this younger man had imparted on him. It should have not come as a surprise, given that Ronald Weasley was a known war hero, surely, he was an old soul in a young man's body.

Astoria also heard part of Ron's response and could only look the Auror with a look of admiration and respect. She was sure that Ron could and would find the person responsible for this atrocious act.

Ron sat on a lone sofa chair, facing the four remaining Greengrass' members of the family. They were looking at him expectantly, waiting for his questioning and when he was about to speak he was interrupted.

"Messing up the job already Weasley? Need Granger's help here as well?" Daphne said disdainfully, clearly not happy with the fact that Ron was there to try and help the family. Ron's face hardened, some anger starting to rise up within him.

"Daphne! Stop this right now!" Lord Greengrass demanded, his voice admonishing the girl. Apparently what father said law, so Daphne made no more insulting remarks this time.

"For your information Miss Greengrass, I graduated top of my class whilst being one of the youngest recruits for the Auror Academy. I specialize in Strategy, but I also am qualified to do Fieldwork. I am what you would call a Consultant for the Auror Department. When the case is difficult, I show up. And this is just my Academy qualifications, as for my other "experience" you can find it on the history books." Ron said, looking at Daphne. He was polite, only reciting his credentials, but the last part he only added for himself. He left out the fact that this was his first day on the job, not wanting the household to doubt his job performance. And it worked, Daphne sat there aghast at his response, obviously not expecting what he had said.

The rest of the family smiled, clearly excited that they were getting the best help the Auror Department could provide. But Astoria smiled for a different reason. Someone finally was able to put her sister in place. She did not know what happened to her sister after graduating Hogwarts. Daphne became colder and distant, sarcastic to the point that she was unbearable. Maybe now she would go back to the way she was before.

"What would you like us to do Auror Weasley?" Lord Greengrass asked, glad to see that this young man could handle his eldest daughter's vicious attacks. His daughter used to be very kind and very funny but could have a really bad temper when something did not fit her idea of correct. He did not know why she was acting this way lately.

"I would like you to tell me what you know. Any detail is important." Ron said, taking out a quill and peace of parchment in order to write the details he found important. He needed leads or something to start off.

"Aurora was a wonderful child. She was so unique and beautiful. She loved to explore the outdoors you see?" Augusta Greengrass explained with tears in her eyes, clearly shaken by the memories of her youngest child.

"Aury got lost in the woods often. She was always accompanied by a house elf though, usually Wonky or Dixie. But that day, they were working on the kitchen all day preparing for my husband's birthday dinner. The girls had strict rules about staying in the house, but little Aurora sometimes would not…not…list…" Lady Greengrass could not go on and started crying softly. His husband took the lead while wrapping an arm around his wife.

"Just an hour before dinner we wanted to have a talk with the girls about the upcoming guests…" Lord Greengrass gave Daphne a pointed look and continued "…You see Auror Weasley, at the same time this birthday dinner was a way of introducing prospects for a marriage proposal to my eldest daughter. She has had no luck of her own and given that she will turn twenty soon, we thought it was a great idea." Lord Greengrass finished and looked to Astoria for her to continue the story. Ron thought that he saw the frown in Daphne's face get a little deeper. Apparently, the customs of the Greengrass family predated the New Wizarding Era.

"I was told to get Aury from her room since the house elves were busy. I went and looked for her but could not find her, and after a while of going through the rooms in the house I went to her usual hiding spots in the property. Apparating within the wards is possible so it took me about fifteen minutes. When I started to get worried I called for my parents and told them I could not find Aury." Astoria explained and turned towards her sister for her to continue the story and finish it. Daphne frowned and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in a silent protest.

"The dinner was cancelled since no one could find Aurora, the guests that had arrived early left promptly, understanding the predicament we were in." Daphne finished not looking at Ron at all through the retelling of the events. The family sat in silence while Ron wrote on his parchment, not saying anything throughout the story, just frowning from time to time. Five minutes passed and Ron broke the silence.

"Lord Greengrass, how do your wards work let you know who gets in or out of the property? It is at least a couple hundred acres from what I could see." Ron asked Jonathan, standing up and walking around the room, his eyes distant as if sketching something in his head.

"My office has a bell that rings whenever someone is close to the perimeter, then a special parchment I have in my office of the estate shows me the name of the person outside. The wards repel any muggles of course, but also undesired magical people. The only way through is through the gate, only a person with no malign intent can see it appear. Also, there are anti-apparition wards set up, we have a designated Apparition point in the estate that is next to the house and one can only apparate to the outside. That is all that I can recall right now, there may be more but it is in a tome my father gave me before taking over the estate. I could get it for you if you desire Auror Weasley" Jonathan said, clearly mulling his head to remember the wards the family estate had.

Ron nodded his head and smiled, writing in his notes the information provided by the Greengrass patron. The female population stayed in their seats, watching Ron as he walked back and forth, occasionally looking out the windows.

"May someone take me to Miss Aurora's usual hiding spots in the property?" Ron asked the room in general. Augusta and Astoria stood up immediately and nodded, whilst Daphne still sat quietly.

"My daughters will take you, they know them better than I did" Lady Greengrass said, shooting a look towards Daphne. Daphne sighed, rolled her eyes and nodded, clearly being forced into this.

"Perfect, shall we go?" Ron asked them opening the door for them to get out. Astoria smiled at him and went through the door, Daphne quickly followed frowning.

* * *

The trio walked towards the back of the manor, and a garden maze was found there, alongside several fountains and more busts of people he did not recognize. They started to go into the maze silently, clearly the sisters knew it by heart, and turned many corners until they arrived at the center of the maze. Here a beautiful pond sat, adorned by many flowers and a willow tree covering the expense of the center of the maze.

"Here is where she loved to read her novels, sitting for hours when things got busy at home or when she wanted to escape the private lessons we had as children." Astoria sighed as she sat down in a bench near the pond.

Ron looked around and jotted some notes in his parchment but said nothing. He noticed the beauty and appeal of coming here. He loved the vast expand of land seeing that it signified freedom, but here one could only hear the sounds of nature. Water moving as the wind desired, the rustling of leaves, and the smell of fresh grass alongside the blooming flowers. He could feel entirely relaxed here.

"Tell me more about your sister. What did she like to wear normally?" Ron said to the sisters. Astoria and Daphne frowned at the question.

"How can that be relevant Weasley?" Daphne finally spoke, her voice incredulous.

"I just want to know more about her. Seeing as she spent most of her time outdoors, I am sure she was not fond of dresses or things that bothered her such as bracelets or rings. Usually when one goes hiking, one takes off that in case they lose it. So, I am trying to know if she had something of value to her that she did not take off ever." Ron explained to them, a little annoyed at Daphne. She was clearly doubting him and how he did his job.

"Oh…" said Astoria understanding him and thought about what he said. Daphne just stood there, her frown lessening while she thought about what he said too.

"She had a diamond pendant Tori and I gave her for her eleventh birthday. She said that she liked it almost as much as her first letter of Hogwarts. She even hung the letter in her room, proud that she was a witch as well as her family." Daphne said, the frown leaving her face completely, and a small fond smile forming in her face. She woke up from her daze, shook her head, and the frown returned.

Ron noticed this and was distracted for a bit from writing. Daphne was clearly beautiful but seeing her smile a little for the first smile made Ron stop thinking for a bit. He shook his head quickly, his ears turning red, and started taking notes. Neither of them noticed Astoria looking at them and smirking.

"Let's go to other the other places" Ron announced when he knew his composure improved. He turned to look at the girls and they both nodded.

* * *

The three of them went then to a long field at the other side of the maze, a little creak that ran from there and then transformed into a river. The river clearly came from the mountains, joining others. They followed the path for a moment and arrived to the start of the forest. A little wooden house was there, clearly built for little girls.

"This is the doll house our parents built for us. It is bigger on the inside so there is actually a living room there with a fireplace. It is calm and we often come here in the summer when we want to go to the lake for a quick swim. Behind the house there is an enormous lake at the base of the mountain." Astoria informed him whilst they entered the doll house.

Ron had to crouch to enter the little door, but when he entered he could stand up freely and still have some room above his head. The doll house extended for a bit, actually making it more of an apartment but with furniture for intended for little girls. The house had a fake kitchen, a fake living room, and several other rooms clearly meant for the girls' dolls. Said dolls were perched in different parts of the house, almost close to fifty dolls, all doing different make-believe tasks. There was an area for adults, such as sofas and a real kitchen, clearly intended for the parents to hang around their daughters while they played.

"Care if I look around?" Ron asked the girls suddenly and waited for their consent to look around.

Ron noticed that the dolls were perfectly dressed, not one missing a hair out of place. They had dresses and were propped up doing different set of tasks. He noticed that some of the dolls resembled the girls of the family. Then there were several other dolls, these ones male that resembled no one in particular, clearly intended for them to be princes, or the male figures in their games.

Ron then noticed a doll was thrown in the floor next to a little bed. It struck him as odd, seeing that the other dolls were perfectly in place. He bent down and picked it up, inspecting it.

"That is…was…Aury's favorite doll. How did you know?" Daphne suddenly spoke, cutting the tense silence that had formed. She went up to him and took it away from his grasp suddenly, making him raise his hands in defense.

"I didn't. It was out of place and I picked it up, that was it." Ron said politely, not wanting his anger with Daphne to interrupt his professionalism.

Daphne harrumphed and went to place the doll where it was supposed to sit. Combing its hair and walking away, a frown in her face.

Ron jotted more notes as he inspected the house and went towards the sisters. He saw that Astoria was annoyed at her sister, clearly thinking that Daphne was out of place. Daphne stood there frowning at him, clearly bothered that he was here at all. He had a suspicion that she saw him still as he was in school. Ron had to admit he would've done the same in her shoes.

* * *

They got out of the house and went upwards towards the mountain. Ron could hear the waterfall clearly now, and it was getting louder as they went up the mountain. They passed through several streams, Ron helping them both to pass without spoiling their dresses. The walk up the mountain lasted about thirty minutes, which they spent in silence, just walking towards the sound of the waterfall.

When they reached the top, Ron could not help but marvel at the sight. You could see almost the entire Greengrass estate, which expanded well beyond the horizon. Seeing as it was almost midday, one could see clearly in all directions. The manor was visible and Ron could finally see the expanse of the mansion as it truly was. The maze looked amazing from above, and the plains surrounding the estate were beyond his comprehension. He could feel the appeal of going up there, reminding him of the freedom he had at home.

"This is truly an amazing sight" Ron said without thinking. Both sisters looked at one another and smirked.

"You haven't seen the waterfall yet Auror Weasley" Astoria said, making Ron turn around and his eyes widened.

The waterfall was massive, coming down from a river in the mountain next to the one he was standing. The waterfall came down to about three hundred feet, towards an immense lake at the bottom. Clearly it was the lake that fed the whole valley with water, several streams and rivers flowing from it. What impacted Ron more was the sheer force of the waterfall as it impacted below. The sound muffled by the sheer height of where they were. Ron was sure that if they were to go down, the sound would be thunderous.

"Damn" was all that Ron could say. He then turned towards the smirking sisters, clearly knowing that looking at this for the first time was truly amazing. Both of them remembering their father taking them there for the first time when they turned five years old and they could walk and climb the hill.

"It is really an amazing sight, but Aury's hiding place is right in the middle of the path that leads down, so we still have to go down Auror Weasley" Astoria said whilst walking down a path that led down.

As they went down, the sound of the waterfall became louder and louder, clearly yelling would be their form of communication. But as they went down, Ron noticed a little cove in the middle of the path, and a simple bench stood there. They entered the little cave and suddenly the waterfall could not be heard. Ron looked around and found a rock with a rune clearly meant for muffling any sound in this little cove.

"Interesting" Ron said as he jotted down something in his notes.

"This is the last place. There is nothing here but this bench, so we should be heading back when you're done Weasley" Daphne said and went towards the path again.

Ron and Astoria stayed there, Ron inspecting the cave, going as far as touching the walls on the back of the cove. Astoria stood there, watching as Ron inspected the area.

"I am so sorry for my sister Auror Weasley, I don't know what is happening to her. I have never seen her act this way with a gentleman such as yourself." Astoria said, clearly ashamed of her sister.

"Call me Ron please" Ron said absentmindedly with a wave of his hand "I am a couple years older than you and I am sure we were in Hogwarts around the same time." He finished and went to sit in the bench, facing the waterfall.

"What your sister might remember about me is that I had a penchant for procrastinating in class, could not do my work in time sometimes, relying more in Hermione Granger's guidance than doing it by myself…" Ron started to explain whilst looking at Daphne, who was seeing the waterfall in a pensive manner "…we were in the same year, and I don't really remember her seeing as I did not like Slytherin's at that time. Also, I had a thing Hermione, so I paid almost no attention to other females." Ron smiled and turned to look at Astoria, who sat down next to him.

"You're not together with Granger?" Astoria asked curiously.

"We did not work out as a couple, we fought too much and did not communicate well enough. We are better as friends and nothing more. That is how we defeated Voldemort, as friends…" Ron smirked and chuckled "…I actually introduced a friend of mine to Hermione, and they've been dating for a while now. I am happy for her and how far she has come in her job at the Ministry, but also that she is happy." Ron finished and looked at the waterfall, smiling at the thought of his bushy-haired bookworm friend.

"That is nice of you Aur…Ron. And what about Auror Potter? How is he?" Astoria said, glad that Ron did not comment on her word stumble.

"He is better than ever. With his life no longer in danger, he is much more relaxed and happy. He is dating my sister currently and I wouldn't be surprised if he were to be my brother in the near future." Ron said chuckling and he looked at the waterfall once more, intrigued by something that caught his eye.

"Is there a cave or something behind the waterfall?" Ron asked as he stood up. He was squinting, which made Astoria look curiously at the waterfall now.

"Not that I know of…why?" Astoria replied, curious as to why Ron was walking slowly towards the entrance of the cove.

Ron went towards the entrance of the cove, losing what he saw behind the powerful fall of water. He could see something shine a bit when he was sitting down, so he crouched in front of the entrance, now regaining the sight of the shining object he had seen.

"What are you doing Weasley? Tired already of not finding anything?" Daphne said to him as she entered the cove again, a dubious look on her face as she saw the tall man crouching.

Ron said nothing as he squinted more and saw a big shadow behind the waterfall, the shining object now clear in his sights. He stood up and pointed his wand at himself, muttering a spell before his clothes glowed a light blue. Daphne recognized the spell and her eyes widened.

"Are you stupid Weasley? What are you going to…" Daphne started but winced once Ron popped off, the sound of Apparating only remaining. Her face was aghast and she turned around at hearing her sister chuckle.

"What?" Astoria said innocently. Daphne could only growl and blush as she turned around. She squinted and saw a head of red in the other side of the waterfall. She then smirked and crossed her arms.

"He was right." Daphne said and smiled a bit, until her mask returned to her face.

* * *

Ron appeared on the edge of the massive cave, tripping and falling to his knees but not hurting himself. Ron quickly stood up and studied the cave.

The cave was massive, the sound of the waterfall echoing throughout the darkness, giving it an unknown depth. Ron could not see the other side of the cave, so he pointed his wand towards the darkness and summoned several little balls of fire throughout the cave. With the cave more illuminated, Ron felt at ease for a bit. Then he started to crouch again, looking for the shining object he had seen.

A couple of minutes passed and he started to get anxious he had imagined the thing. He had a knack of being wrong in the past, but this felt right somehow. He could feel the trace of some sort of magic being done here, so he knew he was close to something.

Suddenly near the edge of the cave, near the waterfall he saw it again. Something shone and he carefully went towards the edge. Not wanting to fall he started to thread carefully before crouching once more and grabbing the shiny object.

It was a diamond pendant, the one that he assumed to be Aurora's. He clutched it and sighed, a theory forming in his head. Ron did not like the feeling he got in his gut, the picture of what happened becoming a little clearer now. A little anger rose up to, only fueling his determination to find the culpable party in this case.

* * *

"Is this the pendant?" Ron asked suddenly, not wasting any time and apparating back into the cove where the sisters where.

"Weasley!" "Ron!", both sisters yelped, Daphne frowning when she heard Astoria calling him Ron, but forgot about it when said man showed off the pendant in the clear light.

"Is this it?" Ron asked once again, the determination in his voice never leaving. Daphne noted this and took note of how magic seemed to flow from this man. She knew about his role in the war but had not really witnessed it ever. To her Ronald Weasley was just lucky, being friends with the Chosen One. Now she started to doubt herself.

"Yes, it is Auror Weasley" Daphne heard herself saying in a soft voice without thinking about it, walking at the same time towards Ron. She went towards the pendant and cradled it in her hands, tears forming in her eyes. She then turned towards Ron and offered him a genuine smile for once, silently thanking him for this.

Ron on the other hand stopped what he was going to say and looked at Daphne. Her smile made him smile at her too, and for the first time he looked at her eyes directly. Her grey eyes connected with his blue ones and he lost track of what he was doing. They both seemed lost and their hands briefly touched, sending a shiver through them which woke them up. Astoria looked at this with a small smile but said nothing.

"Let's get out of here and go with your parents. You ladies have your wands with you so we can Apparate?" Ron asked, his ears red, but still taking out his own wand and dangling it in front of them in a silent question.

"I do have mine" Astoria said taking out her wand from her hidden holster in her arm.

"I do not" Daphne declared and turned to Ron, not frowning but her face neutral.

"Then come with me" Ron said and grabbed her hand. Ignoring the pulse of magic, he felt throughout his body, he Apparated them to the front of the house. Astoria not a second later appeared behind both of them.

* * *

Neither noticed their hands lingered until Daphne walked in front of Ron and was held back by his hand. Daphne gasped and her face reddened, she turned and went into the house.

The Greengrass' parents were in the living room, Lady Greengrass already calm and sitting down clearly waiting for them to return. Lord Greengrass saw them and stood up.

"Did you find everything you need Auror Weasley?" Lord Greengrass asked hurriedly, wanting to know if they had found something.

Ron said nothing and pulled out the diamond pendant that had belonged to the youngest Greengrass. Lord Greengrass stopped in his tracks as he saw the pendant, the shock clear in his face. Lady Greengrass stood up quickly and went alongside Ron, giving him a surprising hug whilst crying on his clothes. Then she proceeded to grab the pendant from his hands and cradle it in her hands, as if it would break in any moment.

"Thank you Auror Weasley. And sorry for my sudden outburst" Lady Greengrass managed to croak out, whilst going towards her husband and crying more on his shoulder. Ron only smiled politely and took out the parchment he had been writing on before.

"Lord Greengrass. You said there were guests here before the dinner. May I have a list of the guests present?" Ron asked surprised at seeing a frown in the eldest Greengrass.

"They were close friends Auror Weasley. I trust all of them with my life…and my families' life for that matter. I do not see the relevance of you asking such things." Lord Greengrass said in a tone reminiscent of his own daughter when she was frowning. Ron could only sigh.

"Sir, with all due respect I do need that list. I have witnessed friends, best friends, and even families betray each other for much less than money. While I have confidence in the things you say are true, one must be careful, and more after going through with what you did. I need to be sure in order to do justice to your daughter's murder. Please cooperate with me so I can do my job and I can make the bastard that did this to your family pay for his crimes." Ron pleaded, knowing what the gentleman in front of him must have been thinking.

"He is right father, you should not think of your relationships with other businessmen or friends, you should think of your daughter" Daphne said placing a hand on her father's shoulder. Lord Greengrass could only hang his head in shame, and nod quietly.

"Of course, Auror Weasley, you shall have it tomorrow in your office. The full guest list and a list of all our relatives, close friends, and business partners." Lord Greengrass said to Ron with an air of finality. Ron was smart enough to know when he was being excused to leave so he went back towards the Apparition Point in the house. The family followed him outside and stood in front of him huddled up, clearly happy with what he had found today.

"You will be temporarily accepted into the wards Auror Weasley, should you have information or were to need it from us. Tomorrow you can come at any time to pick up the full list and any other information I may have. Thank you for what you found today, you have no idea what it is to have something from our daughter to remind us of her." Lord Greengrass said with her daughters in front of him, wife next to him.

Astoria was smiling at him and waving excitedly, so Ron chuckled, already liking this younger witch. Daphne on the other hand was smiling shyly at him, her hand raised as if to wave but made no movement. Ron saw her as if for the first time, and he saw her as one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.

"I may have an idea Lord Greengrass. Thank you and I will come tomorrow for the list in the morning. Rest assured, we will do your daughter justice." Ron said to him and went back to the Apparition Point. Just before apparating away he winked at Daphne quickly, and then he was away, not before noticing the blush and shock in Daphne's face.

* * *

When Ron appeared in the Apparition Point of the Ministry, he had a smirk on his face. What was the fun in being a bachelor if he couldn't make some witches blush? He was going to try and milk some fun out of this case as well.

Ron proceeded to analyze his leads and went towards his desk. A plan already in place, he stayed formulating tactics and drawing many possible theories. He stayed until he felt the need to stop for the day, and as he looked towards his office, he found nobody there. He was the last one out, even Colette was not there.

Ron rubbed his eyes, stood up and left towards the Floo Network in order to get home. Maybe he could talk to Harry and have an insight on what he found. His first day on the job seemed to be the most interesting in his life yet.

* * *

 **Here's the latest chapter in the story! Please review and follow so you can know when I update it! Thank you so much for reading!**


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